Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 39, Number 3, 1 March 2022 — Mauli Ola Mālamalama [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Mauli Ola Mālamalama

V I OLA LOKAHI V ^ TO THRIVE TOGETHER IN UNITY *

By Lisa Ka'ano'i, MPH

f f V wanted to work at Lāna'i I Community Health Center I because of what I learned _A_there as a student, and then to eome back to serve the community as a provider was such an opportunity," said Jared Medeiros, a nurse practitioner and the associate medical director of Lāna'i Community Heahh Center, as he reflected on his return to the plaee where he eompleted his service obligation for the Native Hawaiian Heahh Scholarship that he was awarded in 2012. The Native Hawaiian Heahh Scholarship Program (NHHSP) was created out of the Native Hawaiian Heahh Care Act of 1988 to improve access to acceptable heahh care by increasing the number of Native Hawaiian healthcare professionals serving in rural and underserved Native Hawaiian communities. The program is now celebrating 31 years of scholarships to students in the following heahh professions: elinieal psychology, dentistry, dental hygiene, dietetics/nutrition, nursing, medicine, physician's assistant, and social work. To date, 312 scholarships have been awarded to a total of 285 scholars. Approximately 90% of our scholars continue to serve the communities in whieh they were placed, whieh is encouraging for the eommunities that supported the launeh of their careers. Applicants must be Native Hawaiian, enrolled full-time in an accredited program, and must be willing to relocate as needed to fulfill service obligations. Awardees are supported with an assigned program coordinator, enrollment in a formalized mentorship program called 'Ua'u Lele, access to leadership mentorship whh Dr. 'Aukahi Austin Seabury of I Ola Lāhui, and numerous cultural activities.

Whh NHHSP at its core, Papa Ola Lōkahi has recently expanded its heahh workforce development whh the establishment of a new department at Papa Ola Lōkahi called Mauli Ola Mālamalama (MOM). It houses the Ola Nā 'Ōiwi webinar series, whieh offers continuing education and information to our network of Hawaiian and Hawaiian-serving heahh professionals; the Hui Healthcare Workforce, whieh convenes professionals from various Hawaiian-serving heahh organizations; and a new initiative that supports allied heahh professionals called Kāko'o Ulu 'Oihana. MOM's 8-member advisory eouneil that provides visionary oversight of the NHHSP is made up of members from O'ahu, the neighbor islands and the eontinental U.S. Mahalo to Kaleo Correa, Dolly Crawford, Kamahanahōkūlani

Farrar, Babette Galang, Andrew Justicia, Malina Kaulukukui, David Peters, and Wendy Schofield-Ching. Our purpose is to support and facilitate the continued development of Native Hawaiian heahh professionals to create an environment of accessible, familiar and acceptable heahh care. "The students of today, will in 10, 15, 20 years be the leaders across Hawai'i's healthcare system. This is the quintessential grow-your-own program," states Sheri Daniels, executive director of Papa Ola Lōkahi. "More importantly, we're building the capacity of Hawaiian leadership that will serve the lāhui." ■ The deadline to applyfor the Native Hawaiian Heakh Scholarship is March 15. Apply at MOM.SMAPPLY.ORG or email us at nhhsp@papaolalokahi.org for more information. Lisa Ka'anoi, MPH, is an engagement specialist with Mauli Ola Mālamalama, Papa Ola Lōkahi's HeaUh Workforce Development department.

MAULI OLA MĀLAMALAMA